You wanna be my dad? rewrite
by majobloem
Summary: Carlie is an 18yo girl whose mom died 3 months ago. Now she finds out who her biological father is. She wants to know him and infiltrates his life. Two-shot. AH/AU. Canon couples. T for themes and some mild language
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so I was finally able to finish this story. I've also rewritten the first part of the story and decided to make it a two shot! I hope you enjoy it!**

"Carlie, hurry up! That floor has to be spotless in thirty minutes!" my boss yelled at me.

I gave him a surprised look. "What? But my shift is supposed to be over in ten minutes!"

"The sooner you start, the sooner you can go home." Then he laughed at me. Asshole! So, without any further complaint, I started filling two buckets with water to mop the floor. This was SO NOT FAIR!

Thirty-five minutes later, I was finally able to go to the locker room and change to go home. After a drive of ten minutes, I was 'home', or what was supposed to be my home now. "Carlie, is that you?" Aunt Rose called for me.

"Yes, it's me. Sorry I'm late, had to work over." I groaned and walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, honey! You must be hungry. The food is in the fridge," she said, while changing the diaper of my little six month old cousin.

"Thanks," I said and heated it in the microwave. It was already seven-thirty in the evening and I was starving! I hadn't eaten since lunch.

"Oh, before I forget: solicitor Jenks has called. He demanded to see you as soon as possible. Something about the will."

"Yeah, okay, I'll give him a call tomorrow." It was only Monday evening, and I had already the feeling this would be another tough week!

xxxxx

Friday, at three 'o' clock, I had my appointment with Jenks. I wondered what he wanted now. My eighteenth birthday had been last week, and he had made all the installments so I could inherit everything from my mother, as her will had stated.

Yeah, well, that's me: I'm Carlie Andy Swan, orphaned three months ago. My mom, Bella Swan, died from cancer and I've never known my father. I'm a senior in high school in Seattle and only a month away from graduation. And now I live with my Uncle Bear (aka Uncle Emmett), his wife, Aunt Rosalie, and my three cousins. Kate, the eldest, was only one year younger than me and was like my shadow. We did everything together: shopping, gossiping, make-overs, going to the movies, cooking,…

Then, there was James (but everyone called him Jamie). He was fourteen now and definitely in puberty. Ogling girls, putting on a big mouth, playing video games, hanging out with his friends and getting in trouble for pulling pranks are just a few of his favorite activities.

And then you had Tanya. She was only six months old and a little accident. But we wouldn't wanna miss her for the world. She is just so cute and adorable. She giggles all the time and is everyone's pupil. Especially Uncle Bear's.

She was now her daddy's little girl: first Kate and I were, but we grew out of it. Uncle Bear and Aunt Rose have always been like a father and second mother to me. I've lost count of how often I had sleepovers with Kate, or how often they had babysat me. They had always been my second home, until my mom passed away three months ago and they took me in.

"Well Carlie," Jenks started, while looking at the papers in his hands, "you must wonder why I summoned you here. Along with your mother's will she gave me an envelope she wanted you to receive once you turned eighteen. So here it is, my dear. If there are any other complaints or questions, you know you can contact me." He gave me a big brown envelope.

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Jenks." I said and left his office. Once I sat in my car, I wondered what was in the envelope and I opened it immediately. There were a smaller envelope and a letter. I took the letter and when I started reading, the tears followed quickly.

_Hey my little girl,_

_Oh well, I know you're not so little anymore now you're 18, but you will always be my little girl to me. I hope you've got some time to get over my death. But please, my dear, don't grieve too long over me: you're too young and too beautiful to let your life be lead by sorrow. I miss you, my dear, and wish I was still there to see you growing into the beautiful young woman you'll become._

_To see you in your prom dress; to disapprove of your future-boyfriends; to cry the day you leave for college; to see you graduate; to see you in a beautiful white dress at the altar; to hold your hand when you're in labor. I wish I could be there to see you smile because, my dear, you have a beautiful smile! You always have, and always will. Share it with the world, please. Let them see you're a strong, independent, beautiful woman, Carlie. Don't cry to much over me: you can't change the past, you can only wallow in it. And life's too short for that, believe me: I've learnt that the hard way._

_That's something I just wanted to tell you, before I tell you the one thing you've been whining about for years. The one thing I've never wanted to tell you until you're old enough. The one you've always wanted to know and I never told you. If you think carefully you'll know what I'm talking about. That thing is written in a letter that's in the little, white envelope. But you have to know, my dear, once you read the letter, there's no way back. I know what you'll do when you read it, so think wisely before you do so. _

_Are you ready to change everything you thought you knew about me? Are you ready to know my biggest secret?_

_If you think you're ready and you want to know, you can read the letter. But remember: there's no way back afterward. So, it's your choice: I know you'll make the right one, anyway._

_Love always,_

_Mom x_

I don't know how much time had passed since I had read that letter. I was dumbfound: what could she possibly have to tell me? And did I want to know? My thoughts were broken off by the ringing of my mobile. "Hello," I answered with a thick voice, without checking caller-ID.

"Where are you?" Uncle Bear's voice shouted through the phone.

"Sitting in my car."

"Where? Are you alright?" he asked. I didn't know. Was I? No, probably not. I didn't feel fine, anyway. I felt empty.

"I'm still at Jenks' office. I don't know, I feel weird."

"What did he say?"

"I've got to show you something."

"You want me to come to pick you up, honey?" His voice was softer now.

"No, I'll be fine. I'll see soon. Bye." I hung up before he could answer.

xxxxx

Half an hour later I was home and was sitting with Uncle Bear on the couch. He was reading the letter and _frowning_. Never a good sign with him. Normally he's a goofball, joking around and now he had that serious face, the one that always tells you something is seriously wrong.

"Have you already opened the other envelope?" he asked. I shook my head. "Good, probably the best."

What? "What do you mean? You know what it says?"

"No." He acted surprised.

"Yes, you do. Stop lying!"

"I don't."

"Yes, you do! I can see you're lying. Tell me, do I wanna know what the other letter says?"

"If I'm right about what it says, you…" He sighed. "It's something you've wanna know for years. But I don't know if you'll be happy after you know the truth."

"Why? What's this about?"

"Think about it Carlie. Isn't there something you've been dying to find out all those years?"

"Apparently something you know of."

"Yes, something I know of, yeah." He admitted.

"What is it?"

"Think, and you'll know sweetheart." He said, kissed my forehead and walked over to the kitchen to set the table for dinner.

I wasn't really hungry and hadn't eaten much. I went to my room for the rest of the evening and thought about the letter. Did I wanna know? Was I ready for it? How life-changing could it be? Did I want my life to change? My life wasn't perfect, far from it, but it wasn't miserable either. Although I had lost much, I still had something left. I had some money inherited, and an old house that was going to be sold. And I had Uncle Bear and his family: they'd always be there for me. I had my friends at school who were understanding, and I knew I was lucky to have them. I wouldn't have survived the past nine months without them. From the moment my mom was diagnosed with leukemia, they'd all supported me as much as they could.

So, wondering if I should open the second envelope or not, I fell in a restless sleep.

The next morning, when I woke up, I remembered the letter immediately. I still had to decide whether to open it or not. Uncle Bear had to tell me what it was about.

"I can't tell you," he said.

"Why the hell, not?" I fired back.

He sighed. "If I tell you what it's about you'll rip the envelope open and you'll read something you didn't expect. Everything you know about Bella will change. And I don't want you to run into that. You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Carls. I don't want you to get hurt too." He sounded genuinely worried, although the last didn't escape my attention.

"Get hurt too? Who got hurt first?"

He sighed again. "Please Carl, don't do it. For me. I can't lose you too. Not because of that stupid letter!"

"Why would you lose me?"

"I'm just gonna shut up. You're a smart girl, you'll figure out what to do, but I hope you make the right decision, for everyone," he said before walking away to play with Jamie on the PlayStation. Sometimes he was just a little kid.

But his words worried me. Was the only family I had left worth hurt and loss? No, they weren't. When my mom died, they mourned too. They got hurt as much as I did. They lost someone too: a sister and an aunt. Losing someone? Uncle Bear doesn't want to lose me too, because of a stupid letter. But how could a letter from my mom be stupid? Oh God, this was so frustrating.

I decided to let the subject go for now, and to concentrate on my homework. Around six 'o'clock, it was all finished, and my mind wandered back to the letter. What could it hurt to just read it? It can only be my actions afterward that can hurt people. I just can read the letter and then let it go…

_Like you'd ever do that. Letting go… You suck at letting go, Carlie! And you know it._ My conscious yelled. _Or do you need a reminder of Tyler? You were crushing on the guy and he didn't want you! You cried for weeks after that. You were pathetic, although you said you could let him go._

I knew it was right. Damn conscious!

xxxxx

Three days later, I was still debating with my conscious about opening the letter, even though my mind should have been with my finals that started tomorrow. Stupid finals! Stupid letter! Stupid Conscious!

My life pretty sucked right now. My friends at school saw something was bothering me. Uncle Bear begged me to not open the letter and burn it. "Let the past be!" he had said. And Kate listened to my rambling and complaining, but didn't want to give me advice. Usually she always does. She's the kind of person that has an opinion on EVERYTHING. Literally! But now she didn't want to share. She said I had to do what I thought was right, without letting Uncle Bear influence me.

So, that evening I did what seemed right: reading it and deciding afterward what to do with the information.

_Hi honey,_

_I knew you would eventually open this. You've always had a very curious nature, always wondering about everything. As a child you asked always the why-questions and, most of the time, I didn't know the answer myself. But there was one why-question I've never answered, although I knew the answer. Why didn't you have a father? If you don't want to know, I suggest you stop reading this now. But I know you'll read this anyway, sooner or later._

_I was the one that ended the relationship with your father. He was never the one who had left, I was. I'm sorry for only telling you this now, but you would have been too young to understand. I've always loved your father very much. But I was his employee at the time and he was my boss, and it was unprofessional to do the things we were doing. When I discovered I was two months pregnant with you, I left him. I wrote him a simple note, saying I was sorry. I quit my job and moved back in with Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Renee. They were furious at me, but helped me during the pregnancy and your first year until they died in a car accident two years later. They loved you very much. Emmett was about to get married with Rose and she became pregnant quickly after. Ever since, you and Kate were inseparable._

_You're partly named after your father, Carlie. Your middle name, Andy, is an abbreviation of his middle name, Anthony. His full name is Edward Anthony Cullen, CEO of Cullen Inc. He was a sweet, gorgeous, and wealthy man. But his P.A. being pregnant with his child, would have broken his career. You were a love child, not an accident from a one-night-stand, not from the sperm bank. Your first name is a contraction of Charlie, my dad, and Carlisle, Edward's dad._

_So now you know the truth, it's up to you about what you're gonna do with it. But whatever you decide, I will always love you. And Edward. Don't blame him, my dear. He doesn't even know he has a daughter._

_I wish you the best, Carlie. And I know you'll make the right decision._

_Love Always,_

_Mom x_

I read the letter over and over. This couldn't be true. When I had finally accepted after mom's death, that I would never find out who my true father was, I find out. How ironic is that? Then something else hits me. _Emmett was about to get married with Rose_. They knew all along! No, that can't be! I ran down the stairs in no time and entered the kitchen where Uncle Bear and Aunt Rose were sitting. "You knew! All along, you knew! And you've never told me!" I yelled at them.

"We knew what?" Uncle Bear asked skeptically.

"This!" I smashed the letter on the kitchen table and I saw them both cringe.

"Honey, we…" Aunt Rose started, but I cut her off.

"Don't 'honey' me! I'm not a child anymore! I had the right to know, and you both never told me."

"Bella didn't want us to," she said calmly.

Mom didn't want them to? Now I was confused and my anger went away instantly. "What? Why?"

"We told her so often she had to tell you the truth, but she said you were too young to understand. She wanted to tell you when you turned eighteen, but then she became sick, and was worried she wouldn't be able to tell you, so she decided to write you that letter. She had forbidden us to tell you. She wanted to do it herself, when you were old enough," Uncle Bear explained.

"But you said you didn't want me to open the letter?"

"I know, but that's what I think. Carlie, we know you. You'll go away to meet him and I don't want that. You've always been more like a daughter than a niece to me, and I don't want him to hurt you, just like he hurt Bella."

"But the letter says she left him? How could he hurt her? Wouldn't it have been the other way around?"

"Carlie… Leaving him is the hardest Bells has ever done in her life. She loved him, truly, She always has. Until the day she died. She didn't want to destroy his career and left him out of love. Like everything she's ever done it was out of love. No matter how many times I had warned her he'd break her heart eventually, she stayed with him. Until she was pregnant. I said she had to tell him, but she didn't want to. She was afraid he'd dump her, so she left by herself."

"Why would he dump her if they were in love? Why didn't she have her happily ever after?"

"Because she loved him, but she always doubted his love for her, although he kept assuring her about it. Carlie, you know how doubtful you're mother has always been about herself. She saw him as a perfect man: handsome, wealthy, popular, kind, caring, selfless. Way out of her league. She thought she wasn't worthy of him, so she left without telling him the truth."

"But, then, why would he hurt me, if I told him the truth?"

"Sweetie, how would you react if someone was standing on your porch, saying 'Hello, I'm your long lost eighteen-year old daughter. Do you have a bed for me?' Believe me, most men wouldn't react too well."

I sighed. Okay, maybe he was right. Maybe I just should let this go.

_What? Wasn't that the point of you reading the letter: you can't let this go! Do you think Mom would want you to do that, if she wrote that letter? _

_'_Welcome back, conscious,' I thought sarcastically.

The next two weeks I mainly focused on my finals, but the newly revealed secret was always somewhere in the back of my mind. I wanted to meet him. I wanted to know what he was like, but there was also the doubt: what if Uncle Bear was right, and he didn't want to get to know me? What should I do? Mom, please, help me! You always knew what to tell me! _I know you'll make the right decision._ And how was I supposed to know what the right decision was?

He had the right to know I exist and I had the right to get to know him, I decided. Did he have family? Got married and had children? I knew two things for certain. One: he was wealthy and was an important business man. And two: he had had a relationship with his PA nineteen years ago and made her accidentally pregnant. Well, it was a start.

But maybe my knowledge about him could go further: so in the week after my finals, I graduated, went to senior prom and googled Edward Cullen and Cullen Inc.

Apparently Cullen Inc. was a large company, with the headquarters in LA, for import and export, for all kinds of things. It had a lot of subsidiaries: a mall, a shipyard, a fashion company (which was run by Alice Mary Cullen, his younger sister), an interior design company (founded by his mother Esme Anne Cullen-Platt), a toy company, and so on. The founder was Carlisle Cullen, father of Edward and Alice. All of them were still alive and Alice, a famous fashion guru, was married to Jasper Withlock, a historian who worked at the UCLA. They had fifteen-year old twins: a boy Diego and a girl Charlotte. When Carlisle decided to take things slower, about seven years ago, it was Edward who had become CEO. That means Mom still followed him from a distance, if she knew he was CEO.

Edward Anthony Cullen himself, was said to be a hard-working business man who had transformed the company into a huge empire. At Harvard, he had accomplished a Master-degree in Business and Economy. There was little known about his personal life, but it was known Edward never married. He had occasionally a girlfriend, but nothing that seemed too serious. I wondered why. Photos showed him as a good-looking man in his mid forties. Why wouldn't a guy like that be able to keep a woman? There were several options: he was gay, he was boring (and women lost their interest quickly) or he was a player. The latter seemed the most plausible to me.

I knew I wanted to meet him, but how was I going to manage this? He was probably a busy man and I didn't want to stand on his porch just like Uncle Bear suggested either. Then I found the solution, during one of my Google-sessions about the Cullen family. There was an ad on a website that said they were looking for a new housekeeper. I could apply for the job. Interviews were being held next week. That would give just enough time to sent my résumé, and to fly out to LA.

xxxxx

"What? That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard! Why would you try something like that?" Uncle Bear semi-yelled when I told him.

"That way I can meet them once at least once. And, maybe, if I get the job, I could save some money for my barely existing college fund, and I can get to know them without taking the risk of him refusing me as his daughter." I explained.

"And if they find out the truth?"

"Why would they find out? It's not like I'm gonna use my real name. Using the name Swan would immediately tell them who I am. I'm not THAT stupid."

"Oh, so you're gonna lie to your own family? Are you lying to us too about something?" he yelled.

I couldn't believe my ears. Was he for real? "What? No! Why would I lie to you?" I yelled back.

"If you can lie to them, why wouldn't you lie to us?"

"Is that what you really think of me? That I'm some lying bitch, taking advantage of you and your family?" I asked shocked. If that was the case, then maybe it was best I left.

Uncle Bear took a few deep breaths, calming himself. "No, Carlie, of course not. But I'm not sure if you've really thought this through. What are you gonna do when they find out?"

"I'll see when it comes to that, I guess. If they don't want me, I can come back home. At least, if you still want me here." I mumbled the last part.

Aunt Rose, who had stood at the side-line, now came up to me. "Honey, don't worry about that! This will always be your home. You're practically our fourth child." She hugged me tightly

"I know, it's just… I hope you're not mad at me for wanting to know my other family." I whispered.

"Carlie, I could never be mad at you, and this will always be your home. I promised Bella to take care of you. And it's not that I don't support you. I really do, but I don't want to see you getting hurt in the process. I saw Bella hurt for a long time, after she left. I don't want to see that happen to you too." Uncle Bear said softly. God, I love him as a father.

"Thank you." I whispered, as I started weeping. Aunt Rose hugged me tightly.

xxxxx

Four days later, I sat on the plane headed to LA. I had mailed the Cullens my resume under the name of Carlie Masen and got a positive answer: I could come over for an interview. I had booked a hotel room for two days.

I was incredibly nervous. If I got the job, I could move in with the Cullens. If I didn't, I'd just go back home and maybe find another way to come into their lives. 'Oh, please, let this work! Please!' I pleaded.

After landing, I got my bags and took a cab to my hotel. The next day, I took a cab to the address the Cullens had mailed me. It was on the outskirts of the city and it was huge! It wasn't just a house; it more seemed like a mansion. The cab driver dropped me off and I walked over to the front door. Before I could even ring the bell, the door flew open and I was welcomed by sparkling green eyes.

"Hello. You must be Carlie, right?" a high bell-like voice asked me. In front of me stood a little older, petit, but very beautiful woman with black spiky hair. "I'm Alice. It's so nice to meet you!" She sounded so enthusiastic. She was nearly bouncing as she reached her arms out to hug me. What the hell? Is she crazy or did they already find out the truth?

I hugged her hesitantly back and replied, "Yes, I'm Carlie Masen. Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Cullen."

"Mrs. Cullen would be my grandmother, just call me Alice," she said and pulled me inside.

"Mom, Carlie Masen is here!" she yelled into the house.

The hall was huge: it had a beautiful crystal chandelier and a marble staircase. "Come in, please," Alice's voice rang. She took my coat and led me into what seemed like the living room. There was a huge plasma T.V. against the wall, and design couches. Because the French door to the dining room was open, the room looked endless. And it was beautifully decorated: a modern and classical style combined.

"Please, have a seat," Alice said, while bouncing up and down in hers. Somehow she reminded me of Tinker Bell. Then, an elderly woman with soft grey hair entered the room. She stopped dead in her tracks, when she saw me. Oh-ooh! People always told me I looked a lot like my mom. I hoped she didn't recognize me. When her eyes met mine, she smiled warmly. I felt immediately at ease.

"Hello Ms. Masen, I hope Alice hasn't scared you off too much. She can be a little overwhelming from time to time," her soft voice said. "I'm Esme. And don't you dare 'Mrs. Cullen' me, like you just did with my daughter. Understood?"

"Yes… Esme." It felt weird to address to them with their first names, but also more family-like.

"So, what makes you think you're right to be our housekeeper?"

"I'm a good cook, if I may say so myself. And I've experience in cleaning. I've worked the last two years in a hospital in Seattle as a cleaning lady."

"Can you iron and do the laundry?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Esme, my dear."

"Okay, Esme."

"Well, then I think it's settled. When can you start?" She smiled friendly at me. Alice again was bouncing. Did she have ADHD or just drank too much coffee?

"Wait, does that mean I'm hired?"

"Yes my dear, you are."

"Eh, okay." I smiled. "I can start whenever you want."

"Where are your things, my dear?"

"My hotel room."

"Well, how about we take you to your hotel room, we pick up your stuff and we unpack you here. You can have a good night sleep and start tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that would be great, actually."

"Well, it's settled then."

xxxxx

Two hours later, I was unpacking in my new bed room. It was on the top floor, bigger than my room in Seattle, and I had my fucking own bathroom. How cool is that? They had given me a grand tour of the house and I had been introduced to Carlisle, Diego and Charlotte. All the Cullens lived in the house. Only Edward wasn't around that much. During the week he stayed at a condo downtown, closer to the office, but in the weekends he came home.

There were seven bedrooms and each room had its own bathroom. The kitchen was heaven for a cook like me, something I had inherited from my mom.

They called me when dinner was ready. Heading downstairs, I saw a man with blond curls. Alice told me this was her husband Jasper Whitlock. He greeted me and I ate with the Cullens, like I was a part from the family, though I had to remind myself I wasn't, really. There was small talk. They asked me about my life in Seattle. I told them the truth: that my mom passed away and that I lived with my uncle now. I just didn't tell them their names were Bella and Emmett Swan.

The next day I woke up, and saw an unfamiliar ceiling. I sat up and looked around. The room was luxurious. Oh shit! The Cullens' mansion, right! I got out of bed, took a quick shower, got dressed and headed downstairs. Today was Tuesday and it was my first day as their housekeeper. I was nervous. When I entered the kitchen I was greeted by Carlisle, Esme and Alice. Jasper had already left for work and Alice and Carlisle were getting ready to get going too. The twins were still asleep apparently. It was Summer Holiday after all, and only 7:45 in the morning.

"What do you want to eat, my dear?" Esme took me off guard. Wasn't I supposed to be the one to make their breakfast?

"Cereal is fine," I said and took a bowl.

"Oh no! We've got a lot to do today. Cereal won't keep you up all morning. I've baked pancakes. Here you go." She took my bowl away from me and gave a large stack of pancakes and syrup. Was I supposed to eat all of that? There were like five on my plate. I would never be able to eat all of that! We ate in silence, but it didn't feel uncomfortable.

"So, what am I supposed to do today?" I asked, after cleaning the table.

"First we've got some grocery shopping to do, and after I want you to help me with cleaning the windows. When we're done with that, it will be around five, I think, and we can make dinner. Does that sound alright to you?"

"Perfect," I smiled.

Grocery shopping went by quickly: Esme knew exactly what she needed and ran like a crazy woman through the supermarket. I was in charge of pushing the caddy and could barely keep up with her. She drove the car back home and while we were unpacking, the twins showed up. She gave me a fifteen minute break time while she made breakfast for the twins. I took a glass of water. Man, that woman was in shape for being sixty-seven. I made a mental note to myself that I had to start running in the morning again. It was something I had done a few times a week, until Mom was diagnosed. Later after moving in with Uncle Bear I had picked it up again, but with my finals and my planning on how to infiltrate the Cullens' life, I had stopped it again.

Around 10:30 in the morning, Esme and I started cleaning windows. We had small talk and lunch around one. Then we continued on cleaning windows. It was 5:15 when we were ready. All the windows in the house were done. And there were many, I can tell you.

Esme said I had worked enough for now and could take a break. So I went to my room to unpack a little more and to read a book. They called me when dinner was ready.

Apparently Alice and Jasper had just arrived home and were starving. I sat with my paternal family at the table, only Carlisle and Edward weren't there.

After dinner, I helped Esme with putting everything into the dishwasher, and she said I was free for the rest of the evening, and that I should join them in the living room.

"Isn't that a little inappropriate?" I asked, unsure.

"Why would that be inappropriate?" She smiled warmly.

"I'm an employee."

"You live in this house; this is your home now. So, come and join us. And I don't take no for an answer. If you refuse, I'm just going to tell you as your boss, you've got to join us. Got it, missy?"

"Yes, ma'am." I laughed.

The next day, Esme asked me if I could collect the dirty sheets from all the beds and wash them. When I entered Edward's room I saw a picture on his nightstand. I recognized him and my mother on the picture, twenty years younger. Why would he keep a picture of her on his nightstand after all these years? Then the light bulb above my head shone and I crashed down on the bed: he loved her. He _still_ loved her. That's why he never had another woman or girlfriend. Suddenly I imagined what could have happened if my mom never left: a marriage, a young happy couple. I could have lived here for all those years. Maybe had a little brother or sister.

Suddenly, I felt sad. What if this could have been real? After a few minutes of sitting there, I realized I should get back to work before Esme caught me sitting around.

xxxxx

While we were putting new sheets on the beds, it still bothered me. But I knew I couldn't ask Esme. But there was something else I could ask her. Something I had been wondering about.

"Esme, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

"Why are you paying me to work here while we do it all together?"

"Carlie, I'm sixty-seven. I'm getting older and not everything goes as smooth as it used to. And I'm also tired of spending my days all alone while everyone is at work or school. So now that you're here, it's easier for me to get the work done, and I have some company. But why are you taking this job? Shouldn't you enjoy your last summer before you head off to college?"

"I can't afford college. That's why I'm taking this job. In a few years, I hope to have enough money to pay my fees. My mom has left me a small inheritance, but she wasn't actually rich or anything."

"And your uncle can't pay it?" She asked curiously.

"I couldn't ask him that. He's done already so much for me, and I have three cousins who need to get the chance to go to college too. So no, I haven't asked him and I'm not planning on it either."

"What about your father? Can't he pay it?"

_Honestly, I think he could afford it, but that's not the reason I came here_. Could that answer work? Probably not. "I've never known my father." I whispered. "They broke up before I was born. I've never known him."

"Did he just abandon you like that?"

"Not really. You see, it's complicated." I stopped putting the sheets over the edge of the bed and looked down at me feet. "My mom left my father right after she found out she was pregnant. She never told him."

Esme seemed shocked. I wondered how much more she would be in shock if she knew I was talking about her own son. "Why would she do that?"

"He was at the beginning of a brilliant career. She thought a child would break that, so she decided to not tell him and leave."

Esme fell down on the bed, completely in shock.

"Esme, are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

She shook her head and whispered to herself so silently I almost thought I had understood it wrong. Almost. "I don't understand. Bella left because of his career?"

I froze on the spot. She knew? Now it was my turn to look shocked at her. Tears were coming down from both our cheeks. She came over to me and hugged me. "Oh my dear, it's okay. It's not your fault."

"How did you know?"

"I knew it from the first moment I saw you. I knew you were Bella's daughter. But I saw Edward's features too," she admitted.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you by coming here."

"Why would I be hurt? You're my granddaughter. You're finally home and I still can't believe it."

There was a short silence, until she broke it. "Come on, let's finish this bed and then we can have some tea." I just nodded.

When we were sitting in the kitchen each with a cup of tea, I gave her a synopsis of the past year: mom's diagnosis, our agony, her death, Emmett who took me in, the letters and my plan to come here. Esme didn't say a word; she just let me talk until I was finished.

"Oh, my dear, you've been through so much. I wish I could have been there to help you. Bella was always like a daughter to me and the day we heard she'd left, we were all crushed. Carlisle and I had lost a daughter, Alice a dear friend and Edward his heart. He was devastated and moped around for months. After a while, I was got tired of it, and I commanded him to change his attitude. So he became a workaholic and changed the, at that moment, middle-large company into a huge empire. Though he never really got over her."

"Mom was kinda the same. She worked hard and took care of me very well, but she never dated anyone. In the letter she said she still loved him. Uncle Emmett said the same."

"If he'd known, I swear he wouldn't have let her run away. He still loves her. He still has a picture of her-"

"-on his nightstand. I know, I saw it earlier. I realized then that all of this could have been so different," I finished her sentence.

"He has the right to know, don't you think?"

"I know, but I can't tell him."

"Why not?"

"I haven't even met him yet. My point in coming here as your housekeeper was so I could get to know him and his family, and then I could still decide if I eventually told you or not."

"Still, he has the right to know you exist."

"I know, I'll tell him, but give me a few weeks to get to know all of you first, please."

"Okay. I won't tell anyone, for now," Esme agreed and sometime later we got back to work until dinner. Thursday and Friday went by quickly. Esme and I got to know each other pretty well, and she told me things about her family. During the evenings, when I sat with them in the living room, I got to know the others too. Charlotte and I really clicked. And during those evenings, when my eyes crossed Esme's, she gave that motherly smile again. And I felt home.

xxxxx

Friday afternoon I got a phone call from Uncle Bear. I picked up. "Hi there," I laughed.

"Well, someone sounds happy."

"Yeah, it's good here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, although Esme knows, but she gonna keep quiet, she promised," I admitted immediately. I knew he'd find out eventually.

"What? She did? How?"

"She said she knew from the moment she saw me: it was the reason I could start immediately. She wanted me to be a part of this family."

"Do the others know?"

"No."

"And Edward?"

"Gonna meet him tonight. Edward lives in a condo downtown during the week. He's only here in the weekends."

"So, I guess you're rather nervous, right?"

"You've got that one right. But enough about me. How are you guys?" I wanted to change the subject. Thinking about meeting Edward tonight made me ever more nervous, and I already was a nervous-wreck.

"Tanya's got the flu, but she's getting better. Though, she misses you. We all do."

"I know. I miss you too, Uncle Bear. But it's not bad here."

"Yeah well, if you change your mind: our door is always open. I'll buy you a ticket on the first flight to Seattle."

"I know. But I've got to go. Love ya!"

"Bye, Carl," he told me, and hung up.

Now that I was going to meet Edward, it all felt so unreal again. Like I was in a dream or something.

Finally, after 18 years I was going to meet him. Edward. My father.

Alice and I were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner when I heard a velvet voice. "Hi, I'm home." He walked into the kitchen and stared at me. 'Please, don't recognize me!' I thought. Then, he looked at Alice.

"This is our new housekeeper, Carlie, and believe me, she's a real keeper. She's a hard worker and Mom completely adores her." Alice's statement made me blush. Yes, another thing I got from my mom and something of which I hoped wasn't going to betray me right now.

Edward looked skeptically at me, but eventually stretched out his hand. "Hallo, I'm Edward. Nice to meet you." And he gave a crooked smile. Damn, that smile had definitely charm, I understood why mom loved this guy. If he had been 20 years younger…

O_kay, Carlie you can stop right there! He's your father, for crying out loud!_

Yes, Conscious, got the message!

"I'm Carlie. Nice to meet you too, sir," I answered, shaking his hand. Edward released my hand and made his way upstairs, shortly after.

"Don't mind him, he's always like that. He's a workaholic, difficult with new people. But deep down, under that mask, there's a sensitive guy who will warm up to you. Just give him some time, he'll come around," Alice said.

"Okay." I mumbled, going back to work. Was he like this since mom had left him? I should ask Esme next week. Now, with everyone around, would be too easy to get caught.

Later that night when everyone else was in the living room, Edward wasn't there. He stayed up in his room all night. Also the next two days, I barely saw him. It was like he was avoiding me. Why would he do that? He didn't even know me. I hoped Alice was right and it would get better in time.

"Esme, why was Edward so cold towards me? Have I done something wrong?"

"I don't know, my dear. Normally, he isn't that bad. He stays a lot up in his room during the weekends, but now it's like he has locked himself up there. I don't know what is wrong with him. He's always a little difficult with new people, and the fact you look like Bella won't help him with that," she explained, concern heavy in her voice. "Just give it some time. If it doesn't get better, I'll talk to him. Don't worry."

"Thanks, Esme." I smiled at my grandmother and receive a genuine one back.

xxxxx

The rest of the week passed by without major events. I did my job as housekeeper and Esme was delighted to have some company during the day. Diego and Charlotte were out most of the time with friends anyway. During the evenings, it felt like I was a little more part of this family every day, and I could imagine myself living here with them. As a true family. Again, it became Friday night, and I hoped it would go smoother this time than last weekend. And it did.

He made an effort during dinner to do some small talk and I was very pleased with it. It was much better than being ignored. He even gave me a smile towards the end of the weekend. Yep, this was definitely getting better!

The third week with the Cullens went smooth. Alice talked to me about fashion, she said I needed some fancy clothes. She suggested I go shopping with her and Charlotte on Wednesday. I thought it would be great: wrong guess. Normally I like shopping, but this time it was just torture! I even didn't feel my feet anymore at the end of the day. But I must admit: Alice knew where to go, how to get a huge reduction and how to combine everything. She definitely knew fashion. I had made a few short phone calls with Uncle Bear, and he was happy that I felt at ease with the Cullens. Though it was the first time I was this long away from home all alone and I missed them terribly. But, luckily, Esme knew how to keep me busy. If we weren't cleaning, we were baking, or gardening. Their garden was beautiful and huge. Behind the garden there was a little forest, and even that was theirs.

xxxxx

But, then Friday came, and I would see Edward again. He suggested to help me clean the kitchen after dinner, so we started together putting everything into the dish washer. While I was putting some left overs in the fridge in felt his breath suddenly in my neck. What the hell?

"You know Carlie, you're a very beautiful woman," he whispered into my ear.

"Eh, thank you, I think Mr. Cullen." I blushed deep red.

"Call me Edward."

"If you're gonna act like this, I'd rather not," I answered. I tried to push him aside to continue my work, but he held me at my waist.

"Act like what? Am I making you uncomfortable? I thought that would be the reason you're here, aren't you? I've noticed how you look at me when you think I don't see it. I've noticed how you and my mom keep exchanging looks. You want me, don't you?" His voice sounded husky. I felt suddenly more like prey, than his daughter.

"No, Mr. Cullen. I think you're wrong."

"Then why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lie, blush.

"You're a bad liar."

"So I've been told before."

"So, you're sure you're not attracted to me, in any way?"

"Positive, sir."

"Okay then, in that case I think you can handle cleaning up the kitchen on your own, right? Later, Carlie." he said. I turned around and then I heard footsteps on the stairs.

What did just happen? Did he just hit on me? EW!

xxxxx

The rest of the evening I sat on the couch, next to Carlisle, far away from Edward. I was watching the TV screen, just like everybody else, but I had no idea what was on. I had also the feeling Edward kept glancing at me. Around 10.30 PM I made my way to my room. I got into my PJ's and fell asleep quickly.

When I woke up, the room was still dark. 12.36 AM my clock told me. My throat felt dry, so I decided to get some water downstairs. While descending the stairs, I heard murmuring in the living room. I looked through the doorway and saw Edward laying down on the couch with an almost empty bottle of Jack Daniels in his right hand. My father was a drunk. Nice to know. I decided to enter. "Edward, are you awake?"

He turned his head and smiled his crooked smile. "Hi there, beautiful." he said. He smelled like alcohol and I felt sick again. Why was he hitting on me?

"Come on Edward, I'm gonna take you up to bed."

"Are you?" Hope sounded through his words, though I didn't know what it meant.

"Yeah, come on." I pulled him up the stairs and into his room.

Suddenly, he acted really quickly for being drunk. He pulled me onto his bed and laid down on top of me. I tried to get out of his hold, but he was heavy and started touching the hem of my shirt. "You're so beautiful. Just like my Bella," he whispered into my ear. "You look just like her. I wonder if you're as good in bed as she was." What? Was he going to rape me? My own father was going to rape me!

I started squirming under him, but he held me captive with his weight. "Please, Edward, leave me alone," I begged. He pulled my shirt up a little.

"I can't. You can't run away from me again, Bella." His hand found his way now to my stomach, up to my breasts. I froze completely. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle." He whispered and hovered over to my face. He was going to freaking kiss me!

"Edward, stop. Let me go, please! I'm not Bella." I started crying and shook my head away from his lips.

"Ssshhh…" He soothed me. He pulled his shirt over his head. And then went back to touching my bra.

"Please Edward. I'm not who you think I am."

"I know you're not Bella, but you're close enough." He started kissing me fiercely. I tried to push him away, but he was too strong for me.

"Oh, you're a feisty one. You like it rough, Carlie?" It sounded so needy, animalistic.

"Stop it Edward! Please!" I begged him again and cried even harder when he started groping my breasts.

"Mmmhhh… so soft." He moaned.

"Edward Anthony Cullen!" I knew that voice! My savior! "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Alice screamed.

"Alice, get out! Carlie and I are just having a little fun."

"Then why is the poor child crying?"

"Eh… Role playing?" He grinned. I used this distraction as a moment to squirm out of his hold. Alice got me immediately. "I'll talk to you later. Now sleep first, you stink of alcohol," she said to Edward and pulled me out of the room. Jasper, Esme and Carlisle, who slept on the same floor, (Charlotte, Diego and I slept a floor higher) were in the hallway. Probably woken up from the screaming.

"What happened?" Esme asked softly.

"Edward was harassing her," Alice answered. Carlisle looked angry at me. Why would this be my fault?

"Tell me, he didn't, Carlie." His voice was as soft as Esme's. I just nodded. Too shocked to say something. Carlisle stormed into Edward's room and started lecturing him. I blocked the noise out. I just wanted to get out of there.

"Come on, my dear. We're going downstairs." Esme put her arm around me and lead me to the living room. Alice followed in silence. The empty bottle of Jack was still on the small table.

Once I was seated, I started crying. Esme just held me, until I had some control over my breathing again. "I'm sorry." I whispered.

"What would you be sorry for?"

"Because I've got to go."

"What?" Esme's eyes were huge.

"I can't stay here, Esme. I… I just can't."

"Please, don't leave us too, honey. We can't lose you too. We've already lost her, we can't lose you too," she begged me.

"He's not how mom used to describe him. She said once he was a gentleman, respectful, especially towards women. Not some drunk bastard who rapes young girls."

"Who's your mom?" Alice suddenly asked. Shit! I'd forgotten she was still with us.

"Eh…" I looked at Esme and she nodded. "My mom is Bella Swan."

Alice was stunned. "Your mom's Bella? That's why you look so much like her. But why would your mom ask you to come and look for her ex-boyfriend?"

"Alice, Edward isn't just her ex-boyfriend. She's always loved him. I'm the reason she left."

"How would you be the reas… Oh shit! You're joking, right?" She had realized who I was.

I shook my head. "Edward is my father."

"WHAT?" I heard from behind me.

**A/N: Oh no! The truth's out now. How will Edward react? Will Carlie stay? Will she finally have a father? **

**Please, leave a review! xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's part two!**

I turned my head towards the voice. Edward, Jasper and Carlisle were looking at me, stunned. Edward took a step forward and looked me up and down. "You… You're… And I just…" He whispered barely audibly. His face held so many emotions: confusion, regret, worry.

Though, I couldn't let myself be influenced by it. I released myself from Esme's grasp and stood up.

"Where are you going?" She asked softly.

"Packing."

"But… you can't. you're family. You belong here." She nearly begged me.

"I'm sorry, Esme. But I have no choice. I can't forget what just happened." I walked towards the doorway where Edward, Carlisle and Jasper were still standing. The latter two had a look of grieve on their face, like Esme. Would they be sad about me leaving?

When I wanted to walk past them, something grasped my arm. I looked at it and up to Edward. He looked raged. "You're not going anywhere." He nearly growled.

I looked shocked at him. This guy had some nerve. "You can't stop me!" I said sternly.

"Like hell I can't. I'm your father!"

"My father? I don't have a father. The only things you are, are a drunk and a rapist." I snapped at him.

Suddenly he bowed his head, as if he was ashamed. "I'm sorry, Carlie."

"It doesn't change a thing." I told him with a cold voice. I removed my arm from his grasp and ran out of there, upstairs.

I ran up to my room, opened my closet and started throwing random stuff in my suitcase. I had to go home, I couldn't stay any longer. I would call a cab to get me to the airport, and then take the first plane back home. Never thinking about this again, never coming back here. Yeah, that sounded okay.

Somewhere during packing, tears had started to well up in my eyes. I couldn't fight them any longer. I couldn't fight my anger, my grieve anymore. Why had I come here? I sunk down on the floor, next to my bed. Suddenly I felt two arms embrace me. I looked up to see Esme's swollen, red eyes. She pulled my head against her shoulder and patted my hair. She let me cry without saying a word.

I don't know how long we sat there like that. Minutes, hours, days? I don't know, but when I was calmed down, she spoke. "Please, don't leave, sweetheart. We've finally found you."

I shook my head. "No, Esme. I can't stay. It would excruciate me knowing he's a monster. You know, almost every time I asked Mom about my dad she avoided the subject. But the few times she spoke about him, she said he was a gentleman. Sweet, caring, intelligent. He was her Prince Charming. That's not what I saw tonight."

Esme sighed deeply. "He changed a lot after Bella left. But his love for her is one of the things that hasn't."

Again I shook my head. "It doesn't matter, Esme. I can't stay here any longer, I'm sorry." I stood up silently, releasing myself again from Esme's embrace, and continued packing. She left my room with a sad face.

xxxxx

"Emmett Swan speaking." I heard on the other side of the line.

"Uncle Bear?" I sniffed to my cell.

"Carlie? Honey? Are you okay?" He sounded worried.

"No. Can you book me a flight back home, please. I need to come home."

"What happened?"

"I don't want to explain it over the phone. Please, Uncle Bear. I wanna come home."

"Can you get ride to the airport in LA?"

"Yes, I've called a cab. He should be here any minute."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do, honey."

"Thanks Uncle Bear, see you soon."

"Be careful, honey." Was the last thing he said before I hung up.

xxxxx

Sixteen hours later I was in Uncle Bear's car, on our way home. The taxi had arrived quickly after my phone call with Uncle Bear and I had given all of the Cullens a hug, before I left. All, except Edward. I hadn't seen or heard him since I ran from him in the living room. Why was he such a jerk? He was nothing like Mom had described him. He was violent, pretentious and a complete jack ass. He was a stuck up son of a bitch that couldn't take no for an answer.

"What happened?" Uncle Bear's voiced brought me out of my monologue.

"I'll explain when we're home." I answered quietly and looked out of the window until we got home.

xxxxx

Kate was hugging me when I had told her, Aunt Rose and Uncle Bear what had happened. Uncle Bear was pacing and swearing inarticulately. He was furious. "I'll make him pay, nobody messes with my family. First he hurts Bella, now he hurts you. What's wrong with that guy? Does he really think he can just get away with it? I'll make sure that son of a bitch wishes he had never been born!" He rambled.

"Dammit, Emmett! Will you stop it? Can't you see Carlie needs you right now? We'll deal with Edward later." Aunt Rosalie snapped at him.

His rambling stopped and he looked perplexed for a moment. Then his expression softened as he walked towards me. He sat down next to me, and embraced me and Kate. "I'm sorry, Carl. I should have protected you, I should've come with you to LA. I'm so sorry." He started crying now. The only time I had seen him cry was at my Mom's funeral.

I shushed him. "Sssshh…it's okay. It was my decision to go. I knew that I could be disappointed, or hurt. It's not your fault, please don't think that!" For the next 15 minutes we cried in each other's arms before I decided I needed some rest.

xxxxx

I woke up in the middle of the night. Everything what had happened with Edward replayed in my head. I started sobbing in my cushion, until I fell in a restless sleep again. When I woke up the next morning, I felt extremely tired. After a long relaxing shower I decided to put on a jeans, a t-shirt and a button down blouse. After drying and combing my hair I went downstairs. When I entered the kitchen, Aunt Rose was changing Tanya's diaper on the kitchen counter, while Jamie was eating his cereal. His spoon fell out of his hand when he saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"Shut it, James! I'm not in the mood. I came home last night." I snapped at him. I know I was yelling at the wrong person, but couldn't care less right now.

"Wow, PMSing much?" He snapped back.

"Jamie, stop it. She's been through a lot the past few weeks. Give her a break, okay?" Aunt Rose defended me.

He looked suspicious at me. "Something happened?" His voice was softer more, sounding concerned. Not something I immediately expected from my 14 year old cousin.

I nodded. "Yeah, I came home last night when you were already in your room. Uncle Bear picked up from the airport."

"So that's why Dad wasn't home last night."

"Uhu…" I confirmed silently. I walked over to the cabinet and took a bowl. Next I took a spoon and the cereal box.

We ate in silence. James waited for me to finish breakfast to rinse his bowl. He rinsed mine as well. Sometimes he could be sweet.

"So … What did he do?" He asked softly when we were seated on the couch. Tanya was sitting on her playmat.

I shook my head at him. "I don't want to talk about it. Not yet. Sorry."

"But Mom knows." He tried gently.

"That's different."

"How?"

"She's adult."

"Yeah, and I'm the annoying teenage brother, I know." He answered sarcastically.

His stupid joke made me laugh and I nudged him with me shoulder. "Exactly." Suddenly I felt something pulling at my trousers. I looked down and saw it was Tanya. "Well there, have you learnt how to crawl now, eh?" She giggled as a response and I bent over to pick her up. Once she was nestled on my lap and playing with the buttons of my shirt I turned my attention back to Jamie. "Listen, it's complicated, and you would react just like Uncle Bear did."

"How did he react?"

"He started screaming and wanted to kill him."

"What did Edward do? Found out the truth and kicked you out of his house?"

"If it only had been that…" I whispered.

Jamie now looked cautiously at me. "Carlie, What the hell did the fucker do?"

I sighed, knowing he would keep pushing the subject until I told him the truth. So I confessed, while keeping my eyes on Tanya. "Friday night, first he tried to hit on me, but I rejected him. Later that night when I was in bed I got thirsty. So I went downstairs to get some water. Then I found him on the couch. Completely drunk. I got him back upstairs and then he tried to have sex with me. He called me 'Bella' and said I was beautiful. His sister Alice heard my screams and interrupted him before anything serious happened, but I don't know how to deal with all of it right now, so I came home." I swallowed hard, waiting for his reaction, and then it came.

"What?!" He yelled while standing up. Tanya and I both startled, and Tanya started screaming. I hugged her immediately, trying to shush her.

Aunt Rose came running into the living room. "What's going on in here?"

Now Jamie was pacing and ignoring his mother. "You're gonna sue his ass, right? You're not just gonna let him get away with it, are you?" He asked me.

"I told him, Aunt Rose. And I don't know, Jamie. I don't think Mom would want me to do that." I answered both. "And will you stop yelling, you're upsetting your little sister." Tanya was still crying at the top of her lungs.

It took me another 5 minutes to finally calm her down a little, until she was only sobbing into my shoulder. Then Aunt Rose spoke up. "She hasn't decided what to do yet, Jamie. Give her some to figure it all out. I sort of know what she's going through right now and she needs some time. Don't push her, it will only make things worse."

Then I realized I'd completely forgotten how Aunt Rose must have felt last night when I told her everything. I was so caught up in my own mess that I'd forgotten she'd been raped by an ex-boyfriend before she'd met Uncle Bear. "Oh God, Aunt Rose, I'm so sorry, I hadn't realized you've been through this shit too. I'm so sorry I'd forgotten." I started sobbing. Jamie took Tanya from my arms and Aunt Rose gave me a firm hug.

"It's okay, honey. It's completely normal. Just know, if you want to talk about it, we're here for you. All of us." She comforted me. I nodded, but still felt hopelessly guilty.

xxxxx

That night I felt exhausted, so I decided to turn in early. Though, sleep wouldn't come. Everytime I closed my eyes, I saw his face again. First the lust, then the grief. I knew alcohol could do weird things with people. I wasn't one to drink a lot myself, but I had seen people at high school parties and at prom being drunk. But still, that wouldn't make it just right.

He hurt me, he disappointed me. And I didn't know what to do next. Could I and should I just forgive him? Give him a second chance? Or should I stay mad, never look back on it?

_We both know you can't let go, Carlie._

'Oh hello Conscious, back from holiday?' I asked it sarcastically. Great, now I was going completely nuts. Who the hell makes sarcastic remarks to his conscious?

_You do!_ It answered.

Shut it!

_Okay._

But Conscious was right: I couldn't just let go. Edward hurting me wasn't the only thing that had happened there. I had also bonded with the other Cullens. Esme and Carlisle was the perfect grandparents I'd always wanted, since Grandma Renée and Grandpa Charlie had died before I could remember them.

Alice was a hyperkinetic, but with a heart of gold. Also Charlotte and Diego had been nice to me. I knew I wanted to see them again, sometime in the future. But what to do with Edward?

With my mind on that last question, I fell in asleep from exhaustion.

I woke up to a lot of noise. I heard screaming, voices and Tanya. What the hell is going on downstairs? I hope Aunt Rose and Diego weren't fighting again over me pressing charges against my own father. My father, yes. Edward was still my father. But I didn't know if I was happy about that.

I went downstairs, still in my pajama's and my hair a mess. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw him standing at the front door. "What are you doing here?" I yelled. Suddenly all of them stopped screaming and turned to me.

"He was just leaving." Uncle Bear answered with a cold voice, turning back to Edward.

"I came to apologize. I couldn't make the same mistake again." He answered genuinely.

"What mistake? Forcing yourself on someone?" I knew it was harsh, but I just couldn't help myself.

"No, letting the most important girl in my life running away from me, without going after her." He said, looking at me with a look of determination. Apparently he wouldn't take no as an answer. Again. This could get ugly with Uncle Bear around.

I sighed. "Uncle Bear, it's Monday. Don't you have to go to work?" I asked him.

"I'm not going anywhere untill this piece of trash is of my porch." He sneered.

But Aunt Rose stood by me. "Carlie is right, go. We'll handle him."

Uncle Bear seemed to doubt for a second, but sighed eventually. "Okay, but call me if anything's wrong. Okay?" His voice was concerned. He pecked Aunt Rose's lips and gave Tanya, who was in Aunt Rose's arms, and me a kiss on the forehead. "Be careful." He whispered to me. I nodded. And with that he felt through the front door, but not before he gave a death glare to Edward.

I turned my attention back to him. "I'm waiting for that apology." I said sternly.

"I'm terribly sorry for what I did, Carlie. I'm sorry for not going after Bella. I'm sorry for ignoring you at first. I'm sorry for teasing you in the kitchen, and I'm sorry I'm a drunk fuck up. But you look just so much like her, that I didn't know how to react at first. I even doubted for a second if you were her ghost, coming back for revenge or something."

The apologies and that little explanation did something in me stir. Had I been too hard on him? He surely did a great effort, coming north just to see me. I forced a small smile on my lips and spoke up. "Well, I'm definitely not a ghost, but you sure look like one, right now. Come in. I'm gonna take a shower and change. After that we can talk."

xxxxx

After I made myself presentable, I went to the kitchen. The tension in there was huge. Edward was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, which he didn't seem able to keep his eyes off. Aunt Rose was making some toast on the counter.

As I sat down opposite to Edward, she turned to me. "Here you go, honey." She said, while handing me the toast. "Kate took Tanya for a walk and Diego went to a friend's place. If you need me, I'll be upstairs." I nodded and thanked her.

"You're welcome, hon'." She said and kissed my hair, before leaving me and my father alone to talk.

I thought he would start, as I started biting my toast. But he didn't. When I was done eating, he still hadn't said a word. He only had looked up a few times from his cup coffee, to meet my eyes. His seemed empty.

"You came all the way from LA for just a cup of coffee, you even haven't touched?" I asked rhetorically.

That small joke seemed to put a little smile on his face. "You looked so much like her, you know?"

"So I've been told, yeah."

Again there was silence.

"I woke up to an empty room that morning." He started talking, again looking at his cup of coffee. "Her side of the bed was cold. I didn't hear the shower. I came out of bed to look for her, but she wasn't in the kitchen or living room either. The only thing she had left was a little note." His hand went to his pocket and he pulled out a piece of paper. He put on the table in front of me.

I looked at it for a second. Did I want to know what it said?

_Yes, you do!_

I picked up the note and read it.

_I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore.  
Please don't come looking for me.  
Bella x_

That was it? That was what she'd written? No wonder he was heartbroken. Then, I felt my heart break. Mom had left because of me. I started sobbing, crying.

I felt his hand wipe my tears. He stood next to me now.

"I… I'm… s- sorry." I stuttered. This was all my fault. If I hadn't existed, they would have had their happily ever after.

Edward comforted me until I stopped crying, he kept his hand on my cheek, the other around my back. He let me cry on his shoulder. Great, now I was ruining his shirt as well!

"Why are you sorry?" He said softly.

"Because it's all my fault. Mom left you because of me. If I hadn't… existed, you'd be together." I hiccupped.

Edward shook his head. "No, no,… please don't think that. I should have noticed Bella was acting differently those last few days. I should have proposed to her, I should have asked what was wrong. If I hadn't taken her for granted, she wouldn't have left."

"But you loved her. So much! I saw that picture on your nightstand. You loved her."

"I always have, and always will." He admitted and started sobbing himself.

We stood there for a while, crying in each other's arm. Crying for missed chances, crying for Mom, crying for Edward, crying for this fucked up situation which I didn't know how to deal with.

"So, where does that leave us now?" He asked finally.

I shook my head. "I don't know. I'd say we start over, but I don't know how to do that when I'm here in Seattle and you're in LA." I answered honestly.

"I want you to know I'm really sorry about what I did the other night. If I had known, I'd never-" I cut him off.

"I know you're sorry and I'm willing to accept you were drunk and didn't know what you were doing. I'm not forgiving you YET, and I'm certainly not forgetting it." I said.

His crooked smile appeared on his lips."That's more than I'd hoped for."

I nodded. "Okay. So let's start over." I reached my hand to him. "Hi, I'm Carlie Swan."

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen. Nice to meet you, Carlie," he answered, grabbing my hand and shaking it.

The rest of the morning was spent talking. He told me about his company, his childhood and his studies. I talked about my friends, school and my job at the hospital. The subject 'Mom' was consciously avoided. For the both of us still too painful to talk about.

When Aunt Rose came downstairs to make lunch, I realized Kate still hadn't returned, but Aunt Rose told me she'd called to say she wanted to spent a day out with her little sister. I reminded myself to thank Kate later for giving me my privacy with Edward. I had to thank all of them to give me my privacy with him.

Lunch itself was a bit awkward with Aunt Rose and Edward, but they both tried to act civilized for my sake.

After lunch, Edward and I decided to take a walk in the park. We walked in a comfortable silence. After about 10 minutes Edward spoke. "Mom told me she died. How?"

I stopped and sighed. I sat down in the grass in silence. Edward followed my example. During that time I collected my thoughts. "Cancer…" I hesitated a moment before continuing. "After she left you, she came back here, to Seattle. She lived with Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Renée until they died in a car accident. Uncle Bear, or rather Emmett, and Aunt Rose helped Mom raising me. About a year ago, she was diagnosed with Leukemia. When I wasn't at school or work, I took care of her. Aunt Rose was pregnant with Tanya, so although she tried, she wasn't able to help much. It was a scary pregnancy with a lot of complications, but luckily they both made it. During my senior year, I barely had a social life. My friends were supportive, helped me with my school work and stuff. Five months ago she died. Uncle Bear took me in permanently and got custody over me. He's always been like a father to me. That's why he was so defensive this morning. He's afraid you'll hurt me… again." The last word took me courage to say it, but I wanted him to know I was serious about the second chance.

"I'll do my best to not hurt you again. I know I'm very lucky you're giving me a second chance, because I don't deserve it."

"Everyone deserves a second chance, and I figured since Mom didn't give you one… And you came all the way from LA…" I admitted.

"Can I ask you another question?" He whispered unsure.

"You just did." I joked.

He smiled at the joke. "How did you find me? Why did you come looking for me? Why now?" He rambled. "I don't understand. Why would you come now after she died?"

"That's more than one question." I said seriously, but actually I was just teasing him. Why not letting him sweat just a little? It wouldn't hurt him… much.

"Eh…" He reacted. Flabbergasted by my reaction.

I smiled. "I was only teasing you. Relax. No hard feelings." I paused for a second. "When I asked Mom about my father when I was little, she avoided the subject." I looked at his face, he seemed hurt. "The few times she spoke of you she told me you were wealthy, charming, kind, a real gentleman. That was all I knew about you, until three months after she died. I had just turned eighteen, and received a letter from my mother in which she told me you are my father. So, I googled you and your family. I wanted to know who you were. Then I found the ad for a housekeeper. Esme admitted I could start immediately, because she knew who I was. She said she'd recognized me as your and Bella's daughter."

"So she never told you either?"

"No." I said softly. "But why did you never come look for us?"

Edward put his face in his hands, as if he going to cry. But after a few seconds he looked at me. "I was head over heels in love with her, Carlie. I did everything for her. I'd go to the moon and back, if she'd asked me." He sighed. "You read the note." He waited until I nodded. "I did what she asked me. A horrible mistake, I realize now. One I will always regret." His face went back to his hands and I saw his shoulders shaking.

In front of me sat a broken man, a father who didn't know his daughter. I shoved closer to him and put my arm around him. We sat there like that for a while. "Mom wouldn't want you to regret it." I said after he was merely done crying. Through his tears, he looked at me curiously. "She left because she didn't want to damage your career. She did what she thought was best. If you look at it now, she probably made the wrong choice. But nothing or no one can change that. We'll have to deal with the consequences, whether we like it or not."

He looked me in what seemed to be awe. "Those are very wise words for someone your age."

I shrugged. "I've always been pretty mature for my age. And Mom gave me some of her wisdom along the years."

"She did a great job, raising you on her own." He admired her.

"I guess." I sighed. "Let's go back. I'm pretty sure Aunt Rose will be worried otherwise."

xxxxx

Edward left that day before Uncle Bear came home. Before he left we promised each other to call and e-mail. His flight back was sometime this evening.

When Uncle Bear arrived home, I got into a huge fight with him over the fact that I had decided to give Edward another chance. Eventually he gave in.

The next few weeks passed in a blur. I got my old job as a cleaning lady at the hospital back, full time. Uncle Bear and I were on better terms again and Edward called me every other day. We talked about Mom, about my job, our families. He talked about a major business deal he was working on. It actually stirred my interest in studying Business in college, once I had worked enough to pay my tuition. That was until Edward popped the question.

"Why do you have full time job right now? It's your last summer before college? What are you gonna major in?" He asked.

"Actually, I'm not going to college in September. Uncle Bear can't pay my tuition, because I've got three cousins, and Mom wasn't particularly rich either. I can't afford it right now, so I'm saving up as much as I can."

"What? Why didn't you tell me sooner? I can pay your tuition easily. You shouldn't be working to be able to afford college!" He yelled into the phone.

"Hey, calm down. I don't need to be deaf yet!" I yelled back. "And you don't have to pay anything."

"Why not? I'm your father. Please, it's the least I can do."

"It's not your fault you weren't there the past 18 years, Edward. And your money isn't the reason I came looking for you."

"We already agreed to disagree on the first part. And I wanna pay it. It's my offer and it will stand, Carlie. At least, think about it, okay?"

"Fine, I'll THINK about it."

"Good. So what do you wanna major in?" He changed the subject. He was right, the least I could was consider his offer. But maybe next year, it's too late to apply for September, anyway.

Xxxxx

A few days after that call, I went to LA for a week (from Monday till Sunday), visiting the my family. I actually missed Alice's hyperkinetic personality and Esme's food.

I had a great time the first few days. Edward came home every evening, instead of staying at his condo downtown. One day he even stayed home to spent the entire day with me. He took me carting, and to a museum. It was a fun day. I also saw a change in his attitude towards his family. When I asked Esme about it she smiled and told me it was since he came back from Seattle. He spent more time with the entire family, he seemed happier and it wasn't all about work anymore. I was glad it was partly because of me. I also went shopping with Charlotte and Alice. I really enjoyed talking with them. Charlotte was becoming a great friend/cousin.

Friday afternoon she abducted me to her room to get ready for a party she was dragging me to that evening. "So, you ever had a boyfriend?" she asked while choosing clothes.

"Once, in junior year. His name's Seth. Mom went crazy about it."

"Good crazy or bad crazy?"

"Good crazy. She was even more excited about it than I was. She said I was finally becoming a woman, that I was finally growing up."

"And you're still together?" she asked, while choosing for a lilac dress that came mid-thigh and showed a fair amount of cleavage.

"Nice dress," I complimented. "No, we broke after about 5 months. We just weren't meant to be. We're still good friends and he was a great support during my mom's illness, but we were never meant to be dating. And he's very happy with his current boyfriend, by the way."

Charlotte laughed. "Current _boy_friend?"

"Yeah."

"So right now there's no one special in your life?"

"No. Why so curious?" I smiled, while mentally debating on what I should wear.

"Definitely the blue dress," Charlotte said, as if she could read my mind. "No special reason. I'm just looking for someone who could give me some advice on how I can get Peter's attention, without having to be bothered with my mom's squealing."

We both giggled. "Just be yourself. If he can't see what an amazing person you are, he's not worth it," I said.

"But, how do I know he likes me too?"

"Take a shot."

"I'm scared I'm gonna ruin our friendship."

"If he's a real friend, he won't ditch you for that."

"You think?"

"Yes," I said. "So, does Diego have a girlfriend or something?" I asked, while applying a small amount of make-up on my face.

Charlotte giggled again. "He and my best friend Bree have been flirting for like forever now, but they're both too afraid to take the big step."

"And you're not interfering because..?"

"I have. But they're both stubborn and are sure the other doesn't like him or her that way. I've been pushy, believe me."

"Bree and Peter are both going to be there tonight?" I asked. She nodded. "Okay, I'll help you on both cases."

xxxxx

"No way you're going outside dressed like that!" Diego yelled at his sister. "Every guy is going to wanna screw you up against a wall."

"What's wrong with my dress?" Charlotte screamed back.

"It's barely covering anything!"

"I think it looks great on her," I defended Charlotte. I knew exactly why she had taken that revealing dress.

"I believe it does too," Alice took our side.

"Dad?" Diego yelled, hoping Jasper would agree with him.

"Your dad's not here. He's out with Gramps and Uncle Edward." Alice answered. Diego growled and knew he'd lost.

Twenty minutes later, at the party, I was being introduced to some close friends of both my cousins. There were some nice people, but I was glad they weren't only fifteen and sixteen year-olds, but also some were seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen year-olds. I drank one beer and then switched over to soda, because I had to drive my cousins back home. About after an hour Charlotte was dancing with Peter and I saw from my place next to the bar, the way they were looking at each other. It was cliché, but those two best friends were totally in love with each other. I saw the same thing with Bree and Diego. They were sitting in a couch, chatting away with some other people, but kept glancing at each other.

The next song, a guy with blonde hair came up to me. He introduced himself as Mike and asked if I wanted to dance. I nodded and let him lead me to the dance floor. He immediately placed his hands on my hips, which started to bother me after they gradually moved down to my ass. I pulled away from him and said I had to go to the bathroom. There I saw Bree fixing her mascara in front of the mirror.

"You should make a move on him, you know," I said.

She looked up at me. "Did Char ask you to be so pushy?"

"No. But she told me you like my cousin."

"Yeah, I do," She sighed. "But I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"That's awkward. Charlotte said the same thing about Peter," I changed the subject consciously.

Bree laughed. "Doesn't surprise me. Although he's been crushing on her for months now. And I don't get why she hasn't noticed it yet."

"I don't get how you haven't noticed the glances Diego gives you, yet." Yes, my plan had worked.

"He does?" she asked surprised.

"Oh yes. Definitely!" I said and exited the bathroom. Entering the room of the party again, I saw Charlotte animatedly talking to the most gorgeous guy I'd ever seen. He was huge, muscular and tanned. His long black hair was pulled back in a pony tail and his smile revealed his sparkling white teeth. I felt myself being pulled towards him, like a magnet. I made my way over to them, but my eyes never left his face. "Hi Charlotte," I said, only glancing short to my cousin, before my eyes were on the mysterious boy again.

"Oh, hey Carlie. We were just talking about you. This is Jacob Black, he's the next heir for the biggest associated company of Cullen Inc, Black-Uley Enterprises." She said. "Jake, this is my long-lost-cousin Carlie Swan."

He looked at me and his eyes sparkled with something. "Hallo." His deep manly voice said. It made me warm inside and brought the biggest smile on my face. "Hi." I replied.

"You wanna dance?" He asked immediately.

"Yes please." I said.

For the next hour the only thing I saw, were those sparkling brown eyes and the enchanting smile on his face. I was completely absorbed by him. After an hour he asked if I wanted to drink something. "A coke, please," I told him.

"So, how old are you?" he asked, after sipping from his beer.

It was only now I realized I had been dancing with a complete stranger. "Eighteen. You?"

"I'm twenty-one. Next year I'm graduating college."

"What are you studying?"

"Economics and Business. I'm supposed to take over my father's company one day. What are you gonna major in?"

"No idea. I'm probably just gonna start next year."

"Why?"

"My life has been complicated the past few months. It's been hard to plan ahead."

"Wanna tell me?"

"Are you even interested?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm helping my dad in the company during the summer. And this week there was a meeting and Edward acted so differently. So I suppose you're the reason for that sudden change in his attitude. Normally he's all business and focused, now he could also smile and do small talk." Jacob explained. "And I found that change intriguing."

"Come with me," I said and let him outside where we could talk more easily. I didn't turn around to face him when I started talking, afraid of his reaction. "My mom left Edward when she found out she was pregnant. She thought I would be bad for his career. She raised me on her own, we lived in Seattle. About a year ago, she was diagnosed with Leukemia and I had to take care of her when I wasn't at school or work. I barely had a social life. Five months ago she died. My uncle took me in and got custody. Three months later I turned eighteen, and received a letter from my mother in which she told me Edward was my father. So, I looked him up and now here I am." I didn't know why I had the urge to tell him all of this. He was a complete stranger, but there was this attraction of which I hoped he felt it too. "So, during senior year I wasn't busy with applying colleges. I just hoped I could find a job and pay my bills and maybe save some money to apply in a couple of years. But now Edward insists on paying my tuition, so I'm gonna apply next year and hope they'll let me in."

"Wow, sounds hard."

"It was. But now I'm getting better. I feel like I finally know who I really am and that it will turn out alright."

"I'm sure it will," he assured me, putting his hand on my back. This movement made me shiver.

"You're cold? You wanna go back inside?" he asked, concerned. I shook my head. I liked it here, alone with him.

There was a short silence, it was peaceful and not awkward. "Eh, Carlie?" It sounded unsure. I turned around and saw uncertainty in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Now I was concerned.

"Could I have your phone number?" he looked at his shoes while mumbling it.

I laughed. "Of course, you can. Give me your phone." I said and grabbed my phone from my purse to give it to him.

"Thanks." He blushed when he gave my phone back. It was so adorable. "Would you mind if I gave you a call, to go out some time?"

"Eh… Jacob. That's gonna be difficult. I'm going back to Seattle Sunday and don't know when I'll be back here. I'm sorry.

"Oh, okay. I understand." He sounded disappointed. Can't blame him for it. "But I can still call you or e-mail you as a friend, right?"

I nodded eagerly. "I'd love that."

"Great! But I've got to get home now. Have to get up early."

"Okay." I whispered a little disappointed.

He gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek, said his goodbye and walked away.

xxxxx

On Saturday, after lunch, -or breakfast in my case- Edward said he wanted to show me something. He took me to the top floor, to a room I hadn't been before. There was standing a baby grand piano. "This is my baby," he said.

Tears welled up my eyes. This was the reason, mom had insisted on me taking piano lessons when I was younger. At first I didn't want to play, but after my second lesson I loved it. I played well, until we had to sell my piano when mom got ill. We needed the money. Edward looked concerned at me, as I started sobbing. He took me in his arms, and I felt secure there. He held me until I was done crying.

"You okay?" he whispered. I shook my head.

He put me on the couch in the corner of the room and went back to the piano. He took place on the bench and started playing the most beautiful composition I'd ever heard. Again, I started crying. After he had finished playing, I stood up and walked over to him. "Teach me," I insisted.

"You play?" he asked surprised.

"Mom insisted on me taking lessons when I was younger." I replied.

"So, you want to learn the song I wrote for her?"

"You wrote that for her?" Now I was surprised. "It's beautiful," I complimented.

"Thank you." He gave me his crooked smile. "It's 'Bella's Lullaby'."

For the rest of the afternoon he taught me my mom's song. Afterwards, I played some of my own pieces for him. And I knew where I had gotten my talent to play.

That evening was spent with the rest of the family in the living room, but we sat next to each other. Sunday afternoon, I left my family, but a piece of my heart stayed in LA with them.

xxxxx

"Hey Alice, what's up?" I asked. It had been 3 weeks since I came from LA. Edward and I had talked almost everyday over the phone. He had convinced me to let him pay my tuition and to apply to both UCLA and Washington State University.

I could hear her crying. "Carlie? You have… to come… back… It's… Oh God… Edward…" She managed to choke out between sobs.

"What? What is wrong with them?" I panicked.

"Car accident." She whispered after a short silence. Everything went blank for a moment. No, I couldn't lose my father too. Not after those last two amazing weeks.

"Carlie? Are you there?" I could hear Alice scream between her cries.

"Yes." I whispered. "I'll come as soon as I can." I hang up and ran upstairs to Uncle Bear. "Uncle Bear!" I screamed. Tears were floating down my cheeks now.

He came out of his room and saw my face. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Edward, car accident." I managed to say. A few hours later I was on the first flight to LA.

Jasper had come to pick me up from the airport (Although it was past 12AM) and drove me directly to the hospital. He told me a drunk driver had hit Edward's car. He was in surgery right now, fighting for his life. I started sobbing in his arms. Though I didn't really had had bonding time with him yet, there was mutual respect and care between us. After all, we were family. He knew how to calm down people and I was glad he was here to do so right now with me.

I barely slept for the rest of that night. When they had brought Edward back from surgery and put him in a single room at Intensive Care, I sat down in the chair next to his bed and hold his hand the entire time. When I hadn't dazed off to a restless sleep, I was crying silently. Jasper and Esme had stayed the night with me and my dad, while Carlisle, Charlotte, Diego and Esme arrived during the morning.

The room was silent except for the beeping sound from the ECG-machine. I was alone right now. The rest were in the cafeteria getting lunch. But I couldn't eat right now. Not while I knew my dad way lying there, fighting for his life. "He'll wake up, sweetie." Esme's voice broke the silence. I looked up from Edward's face to her and saw her eyes were as puffy as mine probably were. I smiled weakly at her.

"He has to." I whispered. "You hear me, Dad? You have to wake up. I need you. I love you."

"Did you just call him 'dad'?" Esme smiled warmly.

I nodded. "I hope he won't mind."

"I'm sure it's the most wonderful thing you can give him." She said and sat down next to me. She put her arm around me and I cuddled up against her and started crying again.

xxxxx

Four days. Fucking FOUR DAYS! How long can he stay in that coma? Doc says he has no idea. Fucking doc! Isn't it his job to know that shit? He surely gets paid enough to know it! He gets paid enough to save my dad, if you ask me. He has to save Dad! I can't lose him too. Not after everything I've been through. Losing him would be too much. The ringing of my cell phone got me out my thoughts. Home, Caller-ID said. I picked up. "Hello?" I whispered.

"Hey honey, how are you?" It was Aunt Rose.

"Still a mess."

"Oh baby, he hasn't woken up yet?"

"No." I said.

"It will be okay."

"I really hope so. I can't lose him too, you know. Not with mom already… gone." I started sobbing again. Emotionally is was a train wreck. I had lost count of how often I have cried the past few days somewhere during the first day.

"I know, sweetie. He'll wake up eventually. He just got you back. I don't think he'd let you escape a second time."

"I miss him so much, Aunt Rose. Even though I'm with him 24/7. And I…" But she interrupted me.

"24/7? Have you already left that room?"

"Yes." I sighed. Why were all the adults so pushing me for taking a break. Like I care about a shower and I'm not hungry either. "To shower, to eat and to go to the bathroom. But I keep it a minimum. I can't be away from him. I love him."

"I know, honey, I know." She whispered.

A few hours later my cell rang again. Caller-ID said Jacob Black. "Hello Jacob." I whispered.

"Hey Carlie. I heard about Edward. I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault, but thank you."

"Is there anything I can do for you?"  
"No, not really. I'm just sitting next to his bed, waiting for him to wake up."

"You want some company, while sitting there? I've been told to be a good listener and very patient." I could hear him grinning and I wondered how far I would have to go to get him come over here. I'd love to have him here with me but I couldn't let him just drop all his stuff for me, could I?

"The others have been taking turns to keep me company and nothing has changed so far, so no need to come here."

"I'd do it for you." His voice sounded warm and compassionate and I melted inside.

"Really?" A smile came on my face.

"Yeah, that is if you want my company."

"I'd like that."

"Okay, when can I come over?"

"Whenever you want. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, I think."

"Okay, See you in a minute." He said and hung up. In a minute? Possessed he some sort of inhuman super speed? But as he told me, there was knock on the door about 60 seconds later. He peeked through the door opening and smiled when his eyes caught mine. I smiled back.

"That's quick."

He grinned at me. "You caught me. I was already here since I wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Why so greedy so see me again?" I asked in a serious tone. But the butterflies in my stomach already knew the answer.

"Because I had fun the other time and I was planning on asking you out on a real date. And then I heard what happened to Edward, so I called Charlotte and she told me I could take her turn of staying here with you today." As he said those words, I laughed humorlessly. Charlotte! Of course this was Charlotte's doing! She had introduced us after all.

"I was planning on calling you after this whole shit was over." I admitted. "It's just… my head's been somewhere else this week."

"I know, and I understand." He said, sitting down on the chair next to me.

Although it was probably just meant to be a sweet gesture, I decided to be bold. "Do you REALLY understand how I feel right now?"

He nodded. "My mom died in a car crash when I was ten." He whispered. Okay, so he really did know how it feels.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Doesn't matter. It's been a long time."

"Still, must have been hard."

"It's been harder on my elder sisters Rachel and Rebecca. They were fourteen and had to take over the household and everything since my father works so hard. Rebecca moved to Hawaii when she was 18, marrying a surfer boy, Solomon Finar. Rachel married one of my dad's business partners' son, Paul Lahote. Though you'd think it was arranged, it wasn't. They even claim it was love at first sight."

I put my head on his shoulder. "Why are you even telling me all of this?"

"Like I said: I had fun the other time. And I want to get to know you. You told me about your mom, so I only think it's fair I tell you about mine."

"Thank you." I whispered and kissed his cheek. The next few hours we talked about family, friends, school, dreams and a bunch of other things. After visiting hours were over, he left and I had the feeling I really had gotten to know him and that this even might could work out. I had never felt this before, though I wasn't scared of it. The only thing I was scared of right now, was losing Dad. And with that thought I fell asleep that evening, with my hand in my father's.

I woke up from feeling something moving under my hand. I realized it was Dad's hand and was awake instantly. I looked at his face and his eyes were looking at me. A smile came on my face and I received one back. "I'm getting a nurse." I said and ran out to the corridor, happier than I'd ever been before.  
After the doctor had run a couple of tests, I was allowed back in the room, instructed to keep the conversation short, since the patient needed his rest. "Dad, how are you feeling?" I whispered.  
"A bit tired." He croaked.  
"You've been asleep for 4 days and you're still tired?" I joked.  
He chuckled, but his face went back to a small smile. "I like it when you call me 'dad'."  
"Well, you ARE my dad, aren't you?" I grinned. I was so happy he was finally awake, nothing could break my good mood. Not even when he said something serious.  
Again he chuckled slightly. "At least that's what Bella wants us to believe." His crooked grin appeared on his face. "I've heard you talking while I was unconscious."  
"You did?" Suddenly I felt a bit scared. That wasn't something I had counted on. How much had he heard of Jacob and I's conversation? Had he heard things he didn't like? What have I all been saying anyway the past days? I couldn't really remember.  
He nodded. "I love you too and I'd love it if you'd keep calling me 'dad'." I sighed relieved. "Oh, and I heard you talking to Jacob Black." Oh-ooh! "He's a good kid. Been through a lot himself, too." I nodded. He had told me all about it this afternoon. "If you wanna date him, I won't object against it." Though I was 18 and legally an adult, it felt good to have his permission.

"Thanks Dad, I love you." I smiled.

xxxxx

The next week Dad was allowed to go home and I moved back into my old room at the Cullens' mansion to take care of him. Somewhere along the way I also started dating Jacob.

He graduated next June, while Kate and I got our acceptance letters from the UCLA to start there next fall. During the summer Kate and I moved to an off campus apartment in LA. The apartment was a gift from Dad, he would also pay my college fees and Uncle Bear would pay Kate's. I'd be majoring in Business and Economics and Kate in Psychology.

Somewhere in the future Jake and I hope to take over our father's companies and fuse them into something phenomenal. But first I'll need to get a degree.

**- THE END –**

**A/N: So, that's it, guys and girls! Thanks for reading it! I'm thinking about writing a prequel about Edward and Bella's relationship. Should I or shouldn't I? Tell me what you think!  
Majobloem ****xx**


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